Heat machine and method



y 19, 1966 D. s; BENNETCH 3,

HEAT MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Feb. 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. DHVID S BENNETCH IQT'TORNEY y 1966 0.. s. BENNETCH 3,261,171

HEAT MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Feb. 1.4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 L29 I 2a INVENTOR.

DAVID 8. BENNETCH k a .4. BY

T j MJW HTTORNEY United States Patent 3,261,171 HEAT MACHINE AND METHOD David S. Bennetch, R0. Box 241, Schaeiferstown, Pa. Filed Feb. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 345,046 16 Claims. (Cl. 6287) The invention relates to refrigerating atmospheric air and, by the extraction of heat, to do useful work.

The invention utilizes an artificial temporary heat sink and makes use of the fact that a gas such as air at constant volume has a lower specific heat than air at constant pressure. A motor uses the difference in temperature between the surrounding air and the heat sink to do useful work, and the heat extracted from the ambient air cools it.

According to a preferred form of the invention the heat sink comprises a heat insulated chamber with a movable partition. A refrigerant such as refrigerant No. 13 is contained in the heat sink. A suitable weight is connected to the partition in such manner as to hold the refrigerant at elevated pressure and at atmospheric temperature at the beginning of the cycle. By removing part of the weight the refrigerant is allowed to expand, thereby raising the remaining weight. This lowers the temperature of the refrigerant to create a temporary heat sink.

According to a preferred form of the invention the motor comprises a heat insulated chamber with a movable partition. A storage tank is connected to the foot end of the motor. Both head end and foot end of the motor and the tank contain air at atmospheric temperature and at elevated pressure at the beginning of the cycle. The motor partition is connected to a motor weight in such way that the weight holds the motor partition at its foot end at the beginning of the cycle.

The head ends of the heat sink and motor have a common wall which may have an extended surface area. The common wall has excellent heat conducting properties, but maintains the contents of motor and sink separate.

The apparatus is preferably arranged to perform a cycle the main steps of which follow. The first step comprises permitting the refrigerant to expand while the motor partition remains stationary. The expansion of the refrigerant cools the air in the motor chamber at constant volume, reducing its pressure. As the second step, when the air pressure is sufficiently reduced, the tank pressure moves the motor partition to raise the motor weight, thereby doing useful work. The third step comprises recompressing the refrigerant by lowering the sink weight to discharge the resulting heat into the motor chamber at constant pressure and to recompress the air in the tank. The fourth step comprises mixing the tank air and motor chamber air to equalize temperature and pressure in tank and motor chamber.

This cycle results in a net loss of heat by the tank equivalent to the energy used to raise the motor weight, which represents useful work. The energy supplied by the tank results in lowering its temperature, causing heat to flow into the uninsulated tank from the ambient air. The heat flow into the tank may be used to cool a room containing the tank.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when considered with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of apparatus embodying the invention. The parts are shown in position A at the start of a cycle, with motor and sink weights in lowermost position resting on the floor;

FIG. 2 is a view of the heat sink side of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with weight in raised position, which is position B of the cycle.

FIG. 3 is a view of the motor side of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with weights in raised position, which is position C of the cycle.

FIG. 4 is a diagram, showing positions A to E, which the apparatus takes when executing a complete cycle.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings and description forming part of this specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises, in general, a heat sink cylinder 10, a motor cylinder 11, and a tank 12. The heat sink cylinder 10 raises a weight 13 through a cam 14. The motor cylinder 11 raises a weight 15 through a cam 16.

The heat sink cylinder 10 has a piston 19 connected to a rack 20 which engages a pinion 21 on whose shaft 52 is mounted cam 14. Cable 22 connects cam 14 and heat sink weight 13. A counterbalance weight 50 is connected to line 51 which is wrapped about a drum on shaft 52 to balance the atmospheric pressure acting on piston 19.

An auxiliary removable weight 23 is shown resting on weight 13. A second auxiliary weight 24 lies on rest 25.

The motor cylinder 11 has a piston 26 connected to rack 27. Piston 26 provides the motor cylinder 11 into a head end 17 and a foot end 18. Rack 27 engages pinion 28 on whose shaft 53 is mounted cam 16. Cable 29 connects cam 16 and motor weight 15. Rack 27 passes out of the foot end of motor cylinder 11 through a gland or seal 30.

The sliding action of pistons 19 and 26 in their cylinders is assumed to be frictionless, as is the sliding action of the smooth end of rack 27 in seal 30. The cross section of the piston rod portion of motor rack 27 is assumed to be small compared to the area of motor piston 26, and hence will be ignored in explaining the cycle.

Tank 12 is connected to motor cylinder 11 by ducts 33, 34 and 35. Duct 33 is connected to the foot end 18 of motor cylinder 11, and ducts 34 and 35 connect with the head end 17 of motor cylinder 11. Ducts 34 and 35 have butterfly valves 36 and 37, and duct 35 has a circulating fan 38.

Stops 43, 44 are provided to limit movement of sink cam 14, and stops 45, 46 are provided to limit movement of motor cam 16; these stops may be adjustable.

The operation of the apparatus will first be explained merely from its mechanical aspects, without regard to thermodynamics. The thermodynamics will be explained more in detail hereinafter. It is sufiieient to know now that sink cylinder 10 contains a refrigerant under pressure, and the head end 17 of motor 11 and tank n contain air under pressure.

The weights 13 and 15 are shown resting on the floor in FIG. 1. To start the operation, auxiliary weight 23 is shifted by hand from sink weight 13 to motor weight 15.

Expansion of the refrigerant in heat sink cylinder moves cam 14 in the direction of the arrow, which raises weight 13 to its uppermost position, as shown in FIG. 2. In this position second auxiliary weight 24 can be transferred by hand from rest 25 to the top of sink weight 13.

It will be noted that, as the sink cable 22 Wraps itself around cam 14, the leverage due to the pull of the cable on pinion 21 decreases from maximum in FIG. 1 to minimum in FIG. 2. The cam 14 is so shaped that the torque exerted by the weight '13 decreases according to the same pattern as the pressure exerted by the refrigerant in sink cylinder 10 decreases.

At the proper time in the cycle, the air pressure in the head end 17 of motor cylinder 11 is sufficiently reduced to permit the air pressure in tank 12 to force motor piston 26 to the left in FIG. 1, to the position shown in FIG. 3. This raises the motor weight and auxiliary Weight 23 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 3 where weights 15 and 23 are shown resting on support 42.

At proper times in the cycle auxiliary weight 24 is shifted from rest 25 to the top of heat sink weight 13 and auxiliary weight 23 is shifted from motor weight 15 to rest 25.

Motor cam 16 operates to change the leverage, through which cable 29 acts, from maximum, in FIG. 1, to zero in FIG. 3. The cam is so shaped that the torque exerted by the weights 15 and 23 decreases as the weight moves upwardly, to correspond to the build-up in air pressure in the head end '17 of motor cylinder :lll. Cam 16 is so shaped that line 29 intersects the axis of cam shaft 53 when the motor weight 15 is in uppermost position.

Since operation of the invention depends upon difference in temperature, certain parts of the apparatus are made of heat insulating material, and certain parts of heat conducting material.

The side wall of heat sink cylinder 10 and piston 19 is made of heat insulating material. The side wall of motor cylinder 11, the foot end wall 31, and piston 26 are made of heat insulating material. The valves 36 and 37 and the parts of ducts 34 and extending between the valves and the motor cylinder 11 are made of heat insulating material.

The tank 12 and duct 33- are made of heat conducting material. The head ends of heat sink cylinder 10 and motor cylinder 11 have a common wall of excellent heat conducting material. Although this wall is shown flat for simplicity of illustration, it may be suitably flanged or provided with tubular extensions to promote heat flow between the materials contained in the two cylinders.

The space in sink cylinder 10 between sink piston 19 and heat conducting end wall 40 will sometimes be referred to as the sink chamber 10, and the space in motor cylinder 11 between motor piston 26 and end wall 40 will sometimes be referred to as the motor chamber or head 17.

The insulating material is assumed to be substantially perfect for purposes of explanation and all movable parts are considered to move without friction. Expansion and compression of gases contained in perfectly insulated chambers 10 to 17 is adiabatic.

Cycle Referring now to FIG. 4, the heat cycle and method of operating the apparatus will now be described. To assist in understanding the invention, particular expandable fluids are mentioned and certain pressures, temperatures, and other quantities are given. Some values are assumed and others have been computed theoretically; these are given solely to assist in explaining the (invention, and should not be taken in any limiting sense. It is obvious that other expandable fluids may be used and the given values may be varied considerably, depending upon the size of the operation and the results desired.

The refrigerant in sink chamber 10 is Refrigerant No. 13 which is monochlorotrifluoromethane; this has a molecular weight of 104.47. The gas in motor chamber 17 and in tank 12 is air. At the temperatures and pressures used sufficient refrigerant is used in heat sink chamber 10 to assure presence of liquid phase at fully expanded condition and the air in motor chamber 17 and in tank 12 remains in the gaseous phase at all times.

In the following description certain horizontal shifts of auxiliary weights 23, 24 and of support'42 are made. These shifts are all made without changing the elevation of the members, and hence are assumed to take place without transfer of energy. It is assumed that the energy consumed by fan 38 is small as compared to the useful work done and therefore can be ignored.

For simplicity of disclosure, certain steps are performed by hand, but it will be understood that the manual steps may be mechanized by providing suitable gears connecting those heat sink and motor and parts now operated manually.

Step 1 comprises movement from position A to B. This includes manually moving the auxiliary weight 23 horizontally from sink weight 13 to the motor weight 15. This causes leftward movement of heat sink piston 19 full stroke. Motor piston 26 does not move.

The removal of the auxiliary weight 23 lightens the total weight on cable 22 sufiiciently to permit the pressure of the refrigerant in the sink cylinder 10 to overcome the weight 13. The shape of the cam 14 is such that the force exerted by the weight 13 is always slightly less than the force exerted by the expanding refrigerant. In other words, the pattern of the pressure-stroke curve of the sink piston 19 is the same as the pattern of the cam 14.

The refrigerant, being maintained under pressure in position A, is in partly condensed condition. Expansion of the refrigerant causes the liquid phase to vaporize until the heat sink piston has executed full stroke, and the vapor has expanded sufiiciently to raise the weight 13 to its uppermost position.

Expansion of refrigerant causes a reduction in temperature in sink cylinder 10; this causes a flow of heat from motor chamber 17 leftward through the heat-conducting partition 40 until the air temperature in motor chamber 17 is substantially the same as the temperature of the refrigerant.

The cycle is based on an assumed 50% drop in temperature. The temperature of sink chamber 10 and motor chamber 17 drops from 540 to 270 R. and the air pressure in motor chamber 17 drops from to 75 p.s.i.a., in the assumed cycle. R denotes Rankine temperature scale.

It will be noted that the motor piston 26 does not move during step 1; this is because the sum of the motor weight 15 and auxiliary weight 23 is sufllciently large to prevent this movement. Consequently, all of the energy removed from motor cylinder 11 into sink cylinder 10 is removed at constant volume.

Step 2 comprises movement from position B to C. This includes shifting the auxiliary weight 24 from rest 25 to the top of heat sink Weight 13; partial rightward movement of sink piston 19; and full leftward movement of motor piston 26,

The shifting of the auxiliary Weight 24 to the sink weight 13 causes the combined weight to overcome the reduced pressure exerted by the refrigerant in the sink cylinder 10. The combined weight 13, 24, acting through the cam 14, moves the sink piston 19 from position B to C, increasing both the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant.

At position A, the tank pressure of 150 p.s.i.a., operating at the foot end 18 of motor cylinder 11, is resisted by the motor weight 15 and auxiliary weight 23, and by the pressure of 150 p.s.i.a. in the motor chamber 17. When the latter drops to 75 p.s.i'.a. in step 1, the tank pressure is sufficient to raise the motor weight and auxiliary weight, and to compress the now refrigerated air in the motor chamber 17. The motor piston 26 moves to the left, raising the motor weight and auxiliary weight 23 to uppermost position, as shown in position C.

Leftward movement of the motor piston 26 from position B to C compresses the air in motor chamber 17 to equal the tank pressure which is now less than the tank pressure of position A. If we assume a tank of volume that is large as compared to the volume of motor chamber 17, the tank pressure may drop a small amount, say to 149.6 lbs. The rise in temperature of air in the motor chamber 17, which depends also upon the weight of air in chamber 17, is computed to be 60 R., raising the air temperature from 270 to 330 R.

The limited rightward movement of heat sink piston 19 is caused by the addition of auxiliary weight 24 to sink weight 13 and is merely to raise the temperature of the refrigerant to equal the rise in air temperature in the motor chamber 17. No heat is transmitted through partition 40 during this step.

It will be noted that, when the motor piston 26 moves to the left, it compresses the air in motor chamber 17 almost to original pressure, whereas it raises the temperature of the air by only 60 R. as compared to a temperature drop in step 1 of 270 R.

The raising of motor weight 15 and auxiliary weight 23 to position C represents useful work so far as the motor weight is concerned. It is convenient to place a support 42 under the Weights to hold them in position C, and to disconnect motor line 29 from motor weight 15. It is not necessary to return the energy represented by raising motor weight 15 to the system. This energy is available to operate apparatus (not shown) entirely external to the described system.

Step 3 comprises movement from position C to D. This includes shifting auxiliary weight 23 from motor weight 15 to stand rightward movement of heat sink piston 19 an additional amount and partial rightward movement of motor piston 26 The continued compression of the refrigerant, due to the work returned to it from the falling sink weight 13 and auxiliary weight 24, causes further rise in temperature of the refrigerant, in turn causing heat to flow rightward through partition into motor chamber 17.

The rightward transmitted heat may be considered as (a) the return of heat transmitted leftward in step 1 and (b) that due to the falling of auxiliary weight 24.

This rightward transmitted heat (a) raises the air temperature in the motor chamber 17 to 532.63 R. and (b) compresses the air in the tank 12. The motor piston 26 moves rightward until the air pressure on its opposite sides equalizes. This pressure, which is calculated to be 149.98 p.s.i.a., is only slightly larger than that of position C. On the other hand, the temperature of motor chamber 17 in position D is raised to a value much higher than that of position C, that is, from 330 to 532.63 R.

Step 4 comprises movement from position D to E. This includes manually opening the two valves 36 and 37 and starting fan 38; and final rightward movements of sink piston 19 and motor piston 26.

Opening the two valves 36, 37 and starting the fan 38 circulates air from the tank 12 into the motor chamber 17, transferring heat from the tank by convection, and thus raising the heat content of the motor chamber 17. This equalizes the temperature on opposite sides of the motor piston 26, raising the temperature of air in the motor chamber 17 to 539.9" R. Open paths new connecting motor cylinder and tank on opposite sides of the motor piston 26, the latter may then be moved manually rightward from position D to position E without expenditure of energy. Pressure in both tank 12 and motor chamber 17 is 149.98 p.s.i.a.

Final rightward movement of sink piston 19, due to final dropping of sink weight 13 and auxiliary weight 24, further compresses the refrigerant, raising its temperature 6 to equal the increased temperature in the motor chamber 17, without transmitting any heat rightward through partition 40.

The valves 36, 37 are then closed and the fan 38 stopped. The parts now occupy the same positions as at the beginning of the cycle except for the motor weight 15 which remains in raised position.

To start a new cycle, it is only necessary to shift raised motor weight 15 and its support 42 horizontally out of the way, and to substitute new motor weight 15 in position A for the old motor weight. Then repeat the cycle.

Comment It will be noted that the tank 12 provides the energy in step 2 to raise motor weight 15 and auxiliary weight 23 and to compress the air in motor chamber 17; and to raise the temperature of air in motor chamber -17 in step 4. Part of this energy is returned to the tank from sink 10 by compressing the tank air in step 3. The only energy permanently lost by the tank (assuming no heat flow into the system) is that corresponding to the useful work of raising the motor weight 15.

It will be noted also that there is no loss of air (or refrigerant) from the system. At the end of the cycle the tank 12 and motor chamber 17 contain just as much air as at the beginning of the cycle. The loss of energy by the tank reports as decreased temperature and decreased pressure of air in the tank.

But the tank 12 is actually not heat insulated and will absorb heat from the ambient air as soon as its temperature drops below that of the ambient air.

Thus in addition to doing useful work by raising motor weight 15, the cycle may be used to refrigerate a room. It is only necessary to place the uninsulated tank 12 in a room. Repeated cycles will successively absorb energy from the room into the tank, which gradually lowers the temperature of the room.

When the cycle is used to refrigerate a room, the heat content of tank 12 will progressively decrease with successive cycles, thus providing decreasing energy available for lifting successive motor weights. This will occur until the room is cooled to some temperature at which the heat taken from the tank air to do useful mechanical work equals the heat passing through the walls of the room from the outside atmosphere into the room.

It should be noted that, in the event the system is used to perform repeated cycles, the size of the motor weight will be somewhat less than the size given herein, which is based on performance of a single cycle only.

It will be noted that the invention utilizes two auxiliary weights; each travels in a closed path from motor weight, to rest, to sink Weight. One or the other of these weights descends with the sink weight while the other ascends with the motor weight. In the cycle illustrated in FIG. 4 auxiliary Weight 24 is descending with the heat sink weight 13 in steps 2, 3 and 4 while auxiliary weight 23 is ascending with motor weight 15 in step 2.

It will be noted that energy from the tank 12 is used to raise the auxiliary weight 23 in step 2 but this energy is returned to the tank by its descent in steps 2, 3 and 4 through the same vertical distance. The auxiliary weight is necessary to provide additional force to compress the refrigerant in step 2 where the temperature of the refrigerant is raised, with no heat flow into the motor chamber 17.

An important feature of the invention is the leftward flow of heat in step 1 through partition 40 at constant volume of the air, in contrast to the rightward flow of heat in step 3 through the partition 40 in step 3 at constant pressure of the air.

The average specific heat of air at constant volume is 0.169 B.t.u.s per lb. per R. and the average specific heat of air at constant pressure is 0.237 B.t.u.s per lb. .per R. Hence, only 71.3% of the heat passing rightward through partition 40 in step 3 is available to raise the temperature of the air in motor chamber 17. The remainder is used to move motor piston 26 to compress the air in TABLE II.AIR CONTENT OF SYSTEM 1) Capacity of tank 12 and tail end 18 of the tank 12. motor cylinder (position A) cu. ft-.. 1,000

Thus less heat is available to raise the temperature (2) Capacity of head end 17 of motor cylinof the air in motor chamber 17 in step 4 than is extracted der (position A) cu. ft 5 from the air in step 1. Since the only way heat can leave the heat sink is by way of the motor chamber 17, it (3) Total cu. ft 1,005 is important to have the temperature of motor chamber low enough to absorb all of the heat transmitted leftward (4) Weight of air in tank 12 and tail end 18 through partition 40 in step 1 plus the heat equivalent to 10 f otor cylinder (position A) lbsu 751.000 the falling of auxiliary weight 24. (5) Weight of air in 'head end of motor cylin- This insures rightward heat flow in step 3 until the temder osition A) lbs 3.755 perature of the air in motor chamber 17 is raised to say 531 R. and the air pressure in chamber 17 is raised to (6) Total lbs 754.755 equal the tank pressure of 149.98 p.s.i.a.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible of (7) Heat content tank and tail at start (751.0 wide variations depending upon the particular fluids used, lb X 0, 169 X 540 R.) B.t.u 68,536.26 the amount of useful work and amount of refrigeration (8) Heat ontent motor head at st art'(3.755 desired. The above cycle is based upon a 50% tempera- 1-b X 0,169 x 540 R.) B.t.u 342.68 mm reduction in step 1. Other temperature reductions (9) H t t nt of air in tank, tail and head P to 9 y be used. of motor cylinder at start (754.755 X 0.169 x The fiuld used in the sink cylinder has been called a 540 R.) B.t.u 68,878.94 refrigerant because both liquid and vapor phases are (10) Air temperature (tank and motor head) present at the temperatures used. However, it is not t t t R 540 necessary that the sink fluid be a refrigerant in this sense. (11) Air pressure (tank and motor head) at It may be any gas and may be used at such temperatures t rt p.s.i.a 150 and pressures that the liquid phase is never present or TABLE HEAT CONTENT BALANCE present only at times. Similarly, the fluid used 1n the B tu motor cylinder may be any gas and may be used at such temperatures and pressures that the liquid phase may be (1) Energy m talik atbstart (KPPSIUOH 6853626 present continuously or only at times. (2) f q y i Step y 5413 If desired, fan 38 may be placed inside the motor Panslon 0 all a1r (su rao) cylinder 11 and operated continuously. It could then 6 48213 serve as a means of circulating the air, causing forced b convection in the motor cylinder when the valves 36 and (3) Enfirgy returned.t tan In Step 3 y 37 are closed, as well as serving the purpose above Presslon of tank an (add) 51'76 described.

To further aid in understanding the invention I set b 4b 68533'89 forth below Tables I, II, III, and IV which contain (4) Eilergy slimmed y tan m Step y con- 4 647 specific data on the particular embodiment of the inven- 4O vectlon (su tract) tion used for illustration. The letters G and H in Table I are indicated in FIG (5) Energy in tank at end of cycle 68,529,243

TABLE I'MOT0R CYLINDER (6) Energy in motor head at start (position (1) Area of motor piston 26 1 sq. ft. 342580 (2) Stroke (H) of motor piston 1.95 ft, (7) Energy 111 motor head at end of cycle 342.647

(3) Distance (G) between conducting partition 40 and motor Energy lost y motor head piston in position A 5 ft. Recapitulation (4) Motorweight 15 548.49 lbs. (9)

gy in tank at start of cycle 68,536.260 (5) Movement of motor weight 10 ft. 1 E 1 3 Work required to move motor 0) nergy in tank at end of cyc e 68,529.24

weigh-t full distance 5, 548: st- 1bS-=7-05 11 Energy lost by .tank 7017 o o I n 2 0 7 Auxiliary weights, each 700.2 lbs. (1 Enercy lost by mom head 0033 (8) Work required to move auxil- 13 T 0 iary weight full distance 7,002 ft. 1b 9 oral energy lost by system 7.05

(14) Useful work 5,484.9 ft. lbs.=7.05

TABLE IV Motor Chamber 17 Heat Pos Step Sink Temp, Temp., Press, Heat:

R. R. p.s.i.a. Content,

B.t.u.s

A 540 540 150 342. as

(deduct) 171. 84 Leftward flow through partition 40. B 270 270 171.34

(add) 38.08 See Step 2 below.

(add) 128. 58 See Step 3 below.

(add) 4. 647 Loss by convection from tank. E 539. 9 539. 9 149. 98 342. 647

9. In Step 2 tank supplies B.t.u.s as follows:

To raise motor weight 15 7.05 To raise aux. weight 23 9.00 To compress air in motor chamber 17 38.08

Total 54.13

In Step 3 sink supplies B.t.u.s:

Return of heat of Step 1 171.34 From aux. weight 24 9.000

Total 180.34

This is distributed as follows:

To motor chamber 17 128.58 To tank 12 51.76

Total 180.34

While certain features of the invention have been disclosed herein, and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that, in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents, various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a system for doing useful work,

(a) a heat sink comprising a chamber having a head end and foot end,

(b) a heat sink movable partition in said chamber separating the head end from the foot end,

(c) said head end containing a heat sink fluid,

(d) a heat sink energy storage device operatively connected to said partition,

(e) a motor comprising a chamber having a head end and foot end,

(f) a motor movable partition in said motor chamber separating the head end from the foot end,

(g) a load operatively connected to said motor partition,

(h) a storage tank connected to the foot end of said motor,

(i) said tank and motor foot end containing a fluid under pressure higher than the surrounding medium and near the temperature of the surrounding medium,

(j) said motor head end containing a fluid at the same pressure and temperature as the tank fluid,

(k) mechanism whereby said storage device temporarily holds said heat sink fluid compressed,

(1) means holding the head ends of said heat sink and motor in heat conducting relation,

(m) means for releasing said mechanism,

(n) whereby said heat sink fluid expands adiabatically to impart energy to said storage device, thereby reducing temperature in said heat sink head end and in said motor head end,

() and whereby said tank fluid forces said motor partition toward said motor head end to do useful work on said load.

2. The method of transferring heat which comprises confining a first fluid in a first closed chamber, expanding the fluid to reduce temporarily its temperature, storing in mechanical form the energy obtained from the expansion, confining a second fluid in a second closed chamber, flowing heat from said second chamber to said first chamber through the walls thereof while said first fluid is at reduced temperature and while maintaining said second fluid at generally constant volume, using the stored mechanical energy to recompress said first fluid, and returning the heat from said first chamber to said second chamber through the walls thereof while maintaining said second fluid at generally constant pressure.

3. The method of heat transfer which comprises borrowing heat from a fluid while maintaining said fluid at generally constant volume, and returning said heat to said fluid while maintaining said fluid at generally constant pressure, said fluid having a specific heat at constant pressure which is greater than its specific heat at constant volume.

4. In a heat machine, a heat sink comprising a chamber having a head end and a foot end, with a movable partition separating said ends, said head end containing a heat sink fluid, a motor comprising a chamber having a head end and a foot end with a movable partition separating said ends, said motor head end containing a motor fluid, means holding limited areas of said head ends in heat-conducting relation to each other while maintaining the fluid content therein separated, means for heatinsulating the said head ends and the fluid contents therein against the surrounding atmosphere so that the said fluids are maintained in effective heat-insulating condition with respect to the surrounding atmosphere, a source of fluid pressure connected tosaid motor foot end, an energy storage device connected to said heat sink partition, a load device connected to said motor partition, said partitions being free to move relatively toward and away from each other.

5. The method of operating the machine of claim 4, said method comprising expanding the heat sink fluid to store energy in said storage device, thereby cooling the heat sink fluid, flowing heat from the motor fluid to the heat sink fluid while maintaining the motor fluid at generally constant volume, using said source of fluid pressure to move the motor partition to apply force to said load device, using the energy stored in said storage device to recompress the heat sink fluid thereby raising its temperature, flowing heat from said heat sink fluid to said motor fluid while maintaining the motor fluid at generally constant pressure, thus moving the motor partition against the pressure exerted by said source.

6. In a heat machine, a heat sink comprising a chamber having a head end and a foot end, with a movable partition separating said ends, said head end containing a heat sink fluid, a motor comprising a chamber having a head end and a foot end with a movable partition separating said ends, said motor head end containing a motor fluid, means holding limited areas of said head ends in heat-conducting relation to each other while maintaining the fluid content therein separated, means for heatinsulating the said head ends and the fluid content therein against the surrounding atmosphere so that the said fluids are maintained in effective heat-insulating condition with respect to the surrounding atmosphere, a tank connected to said motor foot end, said tank containing a fluid, the walls of said tank being heat-conductive, conduit means connecting said tank and motor head end, said conduit means containiing heat-insulating valve means, and an energy storage device connected to said heat sink partition, a load device connected to said motor partition.

7. The method of operating the machine of claim 6, said method comprising expanding the heat sink fluid to store energy in said storage device, thereby cooling the heat sink fluid, flowing heat from the motor fluid to the heat sink fluid while maintaining the motor fluid at generally constant volume, expanding the tank fluid to move the motor partition to apply force to said load device, using the energy stored in said storage device to recompress the heat sink fluid, thereby raising its temperature, flowing heat from said heat sink fluid to said motor fluid while maintaining the motor fluid at generally constant pressure, thus moving the motor partition to recompress the tank fluid, opening said valve means and mixing the motor fluid and tank fluid, and flowing heat from the surrounding room through said tank walls.

8. The method of doing external work, said method comprising confining a first fluid in a first closed chamber, expanding the fluid to reduce temporarily its temperature, storing in mechanical form the energy obtained from the expansion, confining a second fluid in a second closed chamber, flowing heat from said second fluid to said first fluid while maintaining said second fluid at generally constant volume, using the diflerence in pressure between a third fluid and the second fluid to do external work and compress said second fluid, using the stored mechanical energy to recom'press said first fluid and thereby raise its temperature, flowing heat from said first fluid to said second fluid while maintaining said second fluid at generally constant pressure, and applying force to said third fluid.

9. The method of claim 8, and flowing heat from said third fluid to said second fluid, and using said last mentioned heat flow to cool a room.

10. The method of claim 8, and using a portion of said external work to assist in recompressing the first fluid.

11. The method of heat transfer which comprises confining a fluid in a closed chamber, expanding the fluid to reduce its temperature below that of the surrounding medium, maintaining a second fluid in a closed chamber and flowing heat from said second fluid to said first fluid while maintaining the second fluid at generally constant volume, and while said first fluid is at reduced temperature, storing in mechanical form the energy obtained from said expansion, using the stored mechanical energy to recompress the first fluid, flowing heat from said first fluid to said second fluid while maintaining said second fluid at generally constant pressure, whereby only part of the heat returned to said second fluid is available to raise its temperature, and the other part of the heat performs external work.

12. In a heat machine, a heat sink comprising an operatively closed chamber having a head end and a foot end, a movable partition separating said ends, said head end containing a refrigerant, an energy storage device comprising a weight, said weight normally holding said refrigerant compressed, a device for varying the mechanical advantage exerted by said weight against said partition as said partition moves, said variable device causing said weight to exert force on said partition which varies according to the same pattern as the force exerted by said refrigerant as said refrigerant expands.

13. The method of cooling a room and using the extracted heat to do useful work, said method comprising maintaining a motor fluid in a motor chamber and a tank fluid in a storage tank, borrowing heat from the motor fluid while maintaining the motor fluid at generally constant volume, expanding the tank fluid to do useful work and to compress the cooled motor fluid, returning the borrowed heat to the motor fluid while maintaining the motor fluid at generally constant pressure to recompress the tank fluid, and transmitting heat through the tank wall from the room to the tank fluid to replace the heat given up by the tank fluid in doing useful work.

14. In a heat system, the method of utilizing the ambient heat residing in a surrounding medium to do external mechanical work external to the system, said method comprising:

(a) Storing energy residing in a fluid medium at the temperature of the surrounding medium,

(b) Converting energy residing in said fluid medium into mechanical form and lowering the temperature of the fluid medium below that of the surrounding medium,

(0) Setting aside a first part of the mechanical energy, thus converted, to make available the aforesaid mechanical work external of the system,

((1) Converting another part of said mechanical energy back to energy in fluid form and raising the temperature of the fluid medium to a value below that of the surrounding medium but higher than the temperature to which the fluid medium was first reduced,

(e) Flowing a supply of heat from the surrounding medium to the fluid medium to bring the temperature of the fluid medium back to substantially the temperature of the surrounding medium,

(f) Said supply of heat being equal to said first part of the energy converted to mechanical form,

(g) The temperature of the surrounding medium being reduced by said last mentioned heat flow.

15. In the heat system of claim 14, said surrounding medium being atmospheric air.

16. In the heat system of claim 14, said fluid medium comprising:

(a) A plurality of fluids stored in separate chambers and having heat transfer relation to each other, (b) A first of said fluid being present in both liquid and gaseous phase throughout the entire method, (c) A second of said fluids being present in only the gaseous phase throughout the entire method,

Said steps of converting energy from fluid form in mechanical form and of converting energy from mechanical form into fluid including the steps of:

(d) Changing the volume of one or more of said chambers at times to flow heat from said second fluid to said first fluid;

(e) Changing the volume of one or more of said chambers at times to return heat from said first fluid to said second fluid, and

' (f) Changing the volume of one or more of said chambers at times to change the condition of said fluids without flow of heat between them.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,402,716 1/ 19212 Cand'or 62-403 1,965,733 7/1934 Chamberlain 6288 1,989,636 1/1-935 Edwards 62403 2,044,330 6/ 1936 Richter 6288 OTHER REFERENCES Publication: Expansion Machines for Low Temperature Processes, by S. C. Collins and R. L. Cannaday. Oxford Univ. Press (1958), page 2, FIG. 1.

WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner, 

2. THE METHOD OF TRANSFERRING HEAT WHICH COMPRISES CONFINING A FIRST FLUID IN A FIRST CLOSED CHAMBER, EXPANDING THE FLUID TO REDUCE TEMPORARILY ITS TEMPERATURE, STORING IN MECHANICAL FORM THE ENERGY OBTAINED FROM THE EXPANSION, CONFINING A SECOND FLUID IN A SECOND CLOSED CHAMBER, FLOWING HEAT FROM SAID SECOND CHAMBER TO SAID FIRST CHAMBER THROUGH THE WALLS THEREOF WHILE SAID FIRST FLUID IS AT REDUCED TEMPERATURE AND WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SECOND FLUID AT GENERALLY CONSTANT VOLUME, USING THE STORED MECHANICAL ENERGY TO RECOMPRESS SAID FIRST FLUID, AND RETURNING THE HEAT FROM SAID FIRST CHAMBER TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER THROUGH THE WALLS THEREOF WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SECOND FLUID AT GENERALLY CONSTANT PRESSURE. 